Rams Listed as 1.5-Point Favorites Over Seahawks in Opening Lines for Week 10
By Kevin Allen in NFL Football
Updated: March 4, 2021 at 12:42 pm ESTPublished:
- The Los Angeles Rams open as 1.5-point favorites at home against the Seattle Seahawks for their Week 10 meeting (Nov. 15, 4:25 pm. EST)
- The Seahawks (6-2) lost 44-34 to the Buffalo Bills in Week 9, while the Rams (5-3) had a bye
- See opening odds, team overviews, and a prediction about how the line will move
Seattle coach Pete Carroll received a new contract this weekend, but what he really needs is a stronger defense. The Seahawks have lost two of their last three games, giving up 81 points in those two losses.
The Seahawks haven’t given up fewer than 23 points in any game this season, and they have surrendered 30 or more in four of their nine games. Only Russell Wilson’s exceptional offensive season have spared them from suffering more than they have because of weak defensive play.
That’s why the Seahawks opened as a 1.5-point underdog in Week 10 versus the LA Rams. On the strength of Russell Wilson’s arm and elusiveness, they are 6-2 against spread this season.
Seahawks vs Rams Opening Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle Seahawks | +104 | +1.5 (-114) | Over 55.5 (-110) |
| Los Angeles Rams | -122 | -1.5 (-106) | Under 55.5 (-110) |
Odds taken Nov. 8th at FanDuel.
Defensive Woes Have to be Worrying Seahawks
Wilson threw for 390 yards and two touchdowns. The Seahawks scored 34 points. Safety Jamal Adams returned to the defense and defensive end Carlos Dunlop made his debut. They played well, but it didn’t help overall.
The duo combined for 2.5 sacks and Seattle sacked Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen seven times. But Allen riddled Seattle’s pass coverage for 425 yards. He had three passing touchdowns and one rushing TD. Cornerback Quinton Dunbar was ineffective against the Bills.
https://twitter.com/EvaninSEA/status/1325521735098138624
The Seahawks blitzed Allen often, but they didn’t disguise it well. Allen seemed to read it consistently and then had no difficulty locating an open receiver. The most alarming aspect of their defensive deficiency is it hasn’t improved.
Seahawks Suffer Three Sprained Ankles vs Bills
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said defensive players K.J. Wright, D.J. Wright and Bryan Mone suffered ankle injuries in the loss to Buffalo.
“We don’t know yet, ” Carroll said in the post-game press conference. “Let’s just wait on those. But we do know we had three guys sprain ankles.”
Defensive tackle Jarran Reed received medical attention during the game, but Carroll said he wouldn’t be going on the injury list.
Chris Carson didn’t play against the Bills, He hasn’t played since Oct. 25, and was considered a 50-50 possibility. That would suggest there is a chance he will play in Week 10.
These games without Chris Carson might just get him paid by the Seahawks Front Office
— Under Zone X (Frisco)/Phoenix Check/Stick Slasher2 (@mattyfbrown) November 8, 2020
Rams’ Running Game a Concern For Seahawks
Seattle fans will worry about quarterback Jared Goff, mostly because he threw for 355 yards in his last outing. He’s only been sacked 10 times in eight games. By contrast, Wilson has been sacked 19 times. Goff has thrown 13 TD passes and been intercepted six times.
But the Seahawks also have to be wary of the Rams’ ground game that averages 138 yards per game. The Rams have 11 rushing touchdowns. Only three teams have scored more.
Meanwhile, the Seahawks have given up 11 rushing TD, Only four teams have allowed more rushing touchdowns.
Most surprising teams at Midseason
Los Angeles Rams
Arizona Cardinals
Pittsburgh Steelers
Miami Dolphins
Chicago Bears pic.twitter.com/t0IyKZsUeE— sportslevels (@sportslevels9) November 6, 2020
Spread Could Move Toward Seahawks
Fans have such a devoted romance with Wilson’s flair and Seattle’s offensive potential that there could be an early rush to take Seattle with the points. Bettors like receiving points with a team that regularly scores 30 or more. That should move the spread closer to even.
But many bettors will take a more pragmatic approach and focus on the fact that the Seahawks’ defensive problems put considerable pressure on Wilson to produce big numbers every week. Watching his defense give up 44 points this week, Wilson had four turnovers. The Seattle defense is a major problem. That may push the spread back to where it was by the end of the week.
Kevin Allen has covered most major events, including the Olympics, Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals and Stanley Cup Final. He covered the NHL for USA Today from 1986-2020, receiving the Lester Patrick Award in 2013 and was honored by the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2014 with the Elmer Ferguson Award.
